Witham's MP, Priti Patel, has apologised after it emerged she held a series of undisclosed meetings with senior Israeli officials during a summer holiday.

The international development secretary has faced criticism after she met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior figures without the knowledge of the Foreign Office.

Ms Patel made visits to various organisations and allegedly discussed departmental business over two days in August whilst on holiday.

According to the BBC, a source revealed that one of the meetings took place at the suggestion of the Israeli ambassador to London.

But the Foreign Office were not informed or aware that Ms Patel would be conducting official business while abroad.

Although no civil servants were present at the meetings, Ms Patel was accompanied by the honorary president of Conservative Friends of Israel, Lord Stuart Polak.

Ms Patel's actions have been seen as a breach of convention as ministers are supposed to inform the Foreign Office that they are conducting parliamentary business overseas.

There are calls for Ms Patel to step down from her cabinet position, but some commentators argue that she may remain in the role due to the fragility of Theresa May's government and the recent resignation of Defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon.

Labour has said the "shocking" admission warranted a Cabinet Office inquiry.

Ms Patel is also thought to have met with the leader of Israel's centrist Yesh Atid party Yair Lapid.

The tweet was published on August 24

Yair Lapid, the former finance minister, tweeted a photo of the government minister.